Jacket for pipe joints of wet strings



April 25, 1950 w. HWENDSLEY JACKET FQR PIPE JOINTS OF WET STRINGS Filed Feb. 1e 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l WlLLlAM H. ENDSLEY INVENTOR.

A T TORNEYS April 25, 1950 w. H. ENDSLEY JACKET FOR PIPE JOINTS OF-WET STRINGS Filed Feb. 16, 1946 R m m m III I lllr lllll E S D N E H M m L H W ATTORNEYS P 1950 Y w. H. ENDSLEY 2,505,282

JACKET FOR PIPE JOINTS OF WET STRINGS Filed Feb. 16, 1946 I 3 Sheets-sheet 3 WILLIAM H. ENDSLEY.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to new and useful improvements in protector or jacket means for wet pipe joints employed when disconnecting wetstrings of well pipe.

When strings of pipe or tubing are pulled from wells, they are frequently filled with liquid such as oil, mud and water and the like. Since a string is made up in single or multiple sections, it is customary to elevate the string so that one or more sections hang in the derrick above the floor thereof. The string is disconnected or broken out just above the well head and thus, all of the liquid drains out from the disconnected string onto the floor of the derrick which creates a fire hazard and/or is messy and unsafe. In elevating the string, the liquid therein is frequently agitated, overflows the top of the string cylindrical members arranged to be fastenedaround a pipe joint in fluid-tight engagement therewith; together with an efficient lever and latch mechanism, whereby the jacket members may be disposed about a joint and readily andconveniently closed and latched or unlatched and opened.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a portion of a well string equipped with a plug and jacket constructed in accordance with the invention, partly in elevation and partly in section,

Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional view of the jacket taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the same,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view of the jacket members shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a similar view of another form of.

jacket,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the upper packing ring,

2 Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the lower packing ring,

seals,

shown in Fig. 5, closed around a pipe joint,

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same in its open position, and

Fig. 11 is a partial plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 9.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the upper section of a string of well pipe which is to be disconnected and B, the next lower section.-

The upper section has a coupling collar C screwed on its upper end and from which collar a pipe or tube section has been. disconnected. As

shown in Figs. 1 and 4 (in dotted lines), the sec-.

tions A and B are connected by a collar D like the collar C. A plug [0 is secured in the top of the section A and a jacket II is latched around the.

collar D.

In explaining the system, it will be assumed.

that the collar C is in the position of the collar D, just above the well head (not shown) and is therefore open. The section A will project above? the Well head and hang in the well therebelow.

This section may be a single length of tubing or it may comprise three or four lengths of well pipe. The top of the collar C will be open.

The plug [0 is inserted in'the collar and this plug may be of any suitable construction; however, I prefer to use the plug shown and described.

in my co-pending application, Serial No. 617,558,

filed September 20, 1945. The plug includes awedge-shaped support l2 having toothed slipsj l3, slidably mounted thereon and engaging in the internal threads of the collar. The plug is supported by laterally extending bars l4 resting on the upper edge of the collar. A fluid pressure-expanded packer cup I5 depending from. the support I 2, is engagedwith the inner surface of the section. A.

The usual elevator is engaged under C and the string is then elevated to the position shown in'Fig. 1,whereby the collar 0 is brought above the well head and the section B gripped in the usual manner for supporting the pendant string in the well. The upper end of the section A being closed by the plug II), the liquid in said,

section cannot be spilled out of the same. When run down onto the derrick floor. However, mere- Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one of the vertical- Fig. 9 is an elevation of the form of jacket the collar.

bent hand lever 26 is pivoted to said ear.

1y raising the string will often cause agitation, particularly if gas is present in the liquid. The plug prevents spilling of the liquid.

When the string has been elevated, the collar D is loosened or broken out in the usual manner. This loosening does not effect a disconnection, but is merely enough to permit the upper section A to be later unscrewed, as by spinning. The jacket H is now placed around the joint. This jacket includes complementary semi-cylindrical members l6 and i1, fastened together by a latch bar It. The member It has a rigid bail I!) at its top and the usual fall line (not shown) is connected thereto, whereby the jacket may be swung into position and supported. A nipple extends from the lower portion of the member 16 and a hose (not shown) may be connected thereon for conducting liquid from the jacket to suitable disposal.

With the jacket in place, the upper section A is unscrewed and thus, disconnected from the collar D. The liquid will drain out of the disconnected section into the jacket from which it will escape by way of the nipple 20. If the liquid is oil, it will, of course, be conducted to a place of conservation. This system keeps the derrick floor clean and dry, thus preventing injury to the workman from slipping on the floor or from exposure to the liquid during cold weather. It also reduces the fire hazard and saves oil.

When the disconnected section has been drained, the jacket is unlatched and said section stacked in the derrick. The jacket may be swung out of the way. In the form in Fig. 1, it would be possible to remove the section A before unlatching the jacket, but it is preferable to first unlatch the jacket. After the section A and jacket have been detached, the plug l 0 is removed from the collar C and inserted in the collar D, from which said section has been removed. In the interest of saving time, two plugs may be alternately employed.

The jacket members it and H are connected at their rear vertical edges by hinges 2|. At its medial portion the member H has a rearwardly directed bifurcated ear 22, in which one end of a link 23 is pivoted. A bracket plate 24 extends rearwardly from the medial portion of the member It opposite the ear. The plate has a laterally extending ear 25 and the inner end of a The link 23 is pivoted to the lever at the bend thereof. An L-shaped hand lever 29 is pivoted on the plate at the intersection of its short and long legs adjacent the member IS. The swing of this lever is limited by upstanding stop studs 21 and 28 respectively, carried at the rear edge of the plate. The levers are of sufiicient length to provide ample leverage. 'When the levers are swung toward each other, from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 10, the jacket members willbe swung apart and both levers will engage the stud 2? so that their handles will not come together. When the levers are swung apart, the jacket will be closed. Y A latch link 3! extending along the side of the member It has yokes 32 and 33, respectively, at its front and rear ends. The rear yoke 33 has short longitudinal slots 34 receivinga pivot pin 35 extending through the outer end "of the short leg of the hand lever 23, whereby alimited lost motion is provided. A bifurcated ear 36 extends forwardly near the front edge of the member l3 and the latch bar I8 is medially pivoted in said ear. The bill 31 of the latch bar engages over a wedge-shaped keeper 38 on the front side of the member l1; while the opposite end of said bar is pivoted in the yoke 32 of the link 31.

Assuming the jacket to be supported from a fall rope (not shown) attached to the bail l9 and it is desired to engage said jacket around the pipe and its coupling collar, the jacket will be in its open position (Fig. 10). The workman, facing the open jacket, grasps the levers 23 and 29, respectively, in his right and left hands and pushes the open jacket forwardly to position it on the pipe joint. He then swings the levers apart to close the jacket. When the front edges of the jacket members meet, the bill 37 of the latch bar l8 will ride along the inclined side of the keeper 38 and latch on the same, due to the expansion of a coiled spring 39 confined between the member I6 and said bar and located between the car 36 and the link 3!. The slots 34 will permit the link 3! and bar 18 to undergo independent movement.

In order to seal the jacket around the sections A and B, above and below the collar D, upper semi-circular packing ring segments 43 are secured in the members by bolts 4| (Figs. 4, 5 and 6). These segments terminate flush with the vertical edges of the members, was to contact and form complete rings when the jacket is closed. The segments have depending flexible lips 42 which snugly engage the pipe section A and the pressure of fluid in the closed jacket will seal the lips around said section.

Lower packing ring segments 43 (Figs. 4, 5 and '7) are secured in the lower ends of the jacket member by bolts 44, similarly to the upper segments. These lower segments have upwardlydirected flexible lips 45 which snugly embrace the lower section B. For sealing the vertical edges of the jacket members, vertical flexible strips 36 are secured to the members between the packing rings by the bolts 41. The rear strip is secured to the member is and overlies the member ll (Fig. 2); while the front strip is fastened to the member I! and overlies the member Hi. The outer faces 48 of the free margins of the strips are curved so as not to catch on the edges of the members, which they overlie, when the jacket is opened and closed.

Wher the jacket I l is used on tool joints, such as E in Fig. 9, it is necessary to hang the jacket on the uppe member of such joint, because said member remains on the lower end of the section A when the latter is disconnected. For this purpose, angular hangers 49 (Figs. 5, 9, 10 and 11) fastened on the outer sides of the upper ends of the members l6 and H, are directed inwardly so as to rest upon the upper edge of the tool joint E, when the jacket is closed.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A jacket for draining disconnected well pipe which includes, a pair of upright semi-cylindrlcal members vertically hinged to each other to open and close, a pair of hand levers pivotally mounted on one of said members, a latch pivotally mounted on the free edge portion of one of the members, a keeper on the free edge portion of the other member engageable by the latch when the members are in closed position, and a movable element .5 connecting one of th levers with the latch, the other lever having a pivotal connection with the member other than the member on which the levers are mounted.

2. A jacket as set forth in claim 1, and flexible packing members along the vertical edges of the upright members.

3. A jacket as set forth in claim 1, and internal packing rings on th inner sides of the semi-circular members at the top and bottom of said members.

4. A jacket as set forth in claim 1, with overlapping flexible packing members along the vertical edges of the upright members, and internal packing rings at the top and bottom of said semicircular members.

5. A jacket as set forth in claim 1, and hangers at the upper ends of the semi-circular members.

6. A jacket for draining disconnected well pipe which includes, a pair of semi-circular members vertically hinged to each other to open and close, a hand leve pivoted to one of said members, a latch bar pivotally supported on th member on which the first named lever is pivoted, a keeper on the other member located to be engaged by the latch bar when the members are in closed position, a link connecting the latch bar with the first named lever, and a link pivotally connecting the other lever with the member on which the keeper is mounted.

7. A jacket for draining disconnected well pipe which includes, a pair of upright semi-cylindrical jacket members vertically hinged to each other to open and close, a hand lever pivoted to one of said members adjacent to the hinged portion thereof, a spring pressed latch member pivoted on the free edge portion of the member on which said lever is pivoted, a keeper on the edge portion of the other semi-circular member adapted to b engaged by the latch member, a link pivotally connecting the lever and the latch member, a

second lever also pivoted on the semi-circular member on which the first named lever is pivoted, and a link connecting the second lever with the member on which the keeper is mounted.

8. A jacket for draining disconnected well pipe which includes, a pair of upright semi-cylindrical jacket members vertically hinged to each other to open and close, a support extending from one of said members, a latch element pivoted on the member which carries the support, a keeper on the other semi-circular member adapted to be engaged by the latch element, a pair of stops on the'support, a lever pivoted on the support and extending between the stops, a link pivotally connecting the lever with the latch element, a second lever mounted on the support, and a link pivotally connecting the second lever with the semi-circula member on which the keeper is mounted.

9. A jacket for draining disconnected well pipe including, a pair of vertical semi-cylindrical members hinged to each other, a support extending from one of the members, a pair of hand levers pivoted to said support, one of said levers having pivotal connection with the other member, a latch carried by the member having the support and engaging the other member, the other lever having actuating means connected with the latch, and hangers at the upper ends of the members.

WILLIAM H. ENDSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED fhe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Welch Mar. 3, 1936 

